Bonneville County imposes Emergency Moratorium on applications for recharge-related mining operations

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – On April 7th, the Bonneville County Commissioners passed an Ordinance Imposing an Emergency Moratorium on the processing of applications for mining operations associated with water recharge facilities.

The move comes with the support of a representative from the Idaho Board of Water Resources, to “create a better path forward.” The Bonneville County Commissioners announced their preliminary decision on the Moratorium during a public hearing on April 1, 2025.

The order calls for, at most, a 180-day pause in processing applications for mining operations related to water recharge projects within the county.

According to the ordinance, the moratorium is in response to “adverse effects on the public health, safety, and welfare” caused by current recharge facilities and their associated mining operation in the county.

Under the order, the Planning and Zoning Department will be required to make revisions to the current Bonneville County Planning and Zoning Ordinance relating to the recharge basins. They will then submit the revised ordinance to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the County Commissioners for consideration.

The Bonneville County Board of Commissioners is still expected to issue a decision in the case of a local couple who claim a nearby aquifer recharge basin has damaged their home. The couple, Dana and Darla Miller, are attempting to block a planned expansion to the project, which would require an initial gravel pit to build a secondary recharge basin.

For more information on their arguments, click HERE.

It is unclear if the moratorium by the board of commissioners will impact the project, as the zoning has already been approved. Local News 8 will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

Sticks out 4 Carter: Local hockey fans honor youth player Carter Barnes

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Local Hockey enthusiasts and the Idaho Falls Spud Kings are expressing their condolences to the family of a youth hockey player who died in a tragic car accident over the weekend.

Carter Barnes skated into the world of the Idaho Falls Youth Hockey Association at the age of 5, where he not only played the game he loved but later stepped up as a youth hockey referee,” according to his official obituary.

Carter passed away at the age of 17 on April 12, 2025.

The Idaho Falls Youth Hockey Association posted on Facebook honoring Carter and calling him “more than a teammate–he was a remarkable young man who brought kindness, grit, and positivity to every rink he stepped on. His loss is deeply felt, and our thoughts are with his family, friends, coaches, and teammates.”

Hockey fans and players across the region have joined an online movement, #sticksout4carter, placing their hockey sticks outside their doors to honor Carter and express their condolences for the Barnes family.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Carter’s family and the entire local youth hockey community during this incredibly difficult time,” wrote the Idaho Falls Spud Kings and Mountain America Center in a post on Facebook.

“We at Snake River Youth Hockey Association would like to offer our deepest condolences to the Barnes family,” wrote the group on Facebook. “Carter was not a member of our Yeti family, and we didn’t know him personally, but many of our players and coaches did! Today, we honor Carter by placing our sticks out for him!”

The young hockey player is survived by his loving parents, siblings, and stepsiblings. For more information on Carter or how to support the Barnes family, click HERE for the obituary information.

How to survive spring allergies, according to a local allergist

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Sam Ross

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)– Warmer weather means spring allergy season is around the corner in East Idaho, and it may be time for allergy sufferers to start taking precautions.

Dr. David Parry, allergist and immunologist at Pocatello Allergy and Asthma Clinic, said spring pollen may start hitting the air soon, and, when coupled with mold left over from winter, it could be time to start thinking about dosing up on antihistamines.

“We do want to be outdoors, so it’s a matter of trying to manage that because we just don’t want to stay inside,” said Dr. Parry. “If people haven’t started taking their over-the-counter antihistamines, the longer lasting ones… all of those are available over the counter now and can be very effective for many patients. When symptoms are more severe, that’s when it’s time to talk to a doctor or medical person and get some additional help.”

In the spring, tree pollen is the most common allergen that hits the airwaves, before grass and weeds take over in the summer and fall.

Dr. Parry said sensitive groups, including people with asthma, COPD, or other respiratory illnesses, should start treating allergies early to avoid triggering other infections.

For more information, you can visit the Pocatello Allergy and Asthma Clinic website.

Portneuf District Library to host annual accessible Easter egg hunt on Saturday

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Sam Ross

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI) – The Portneuf District Library is hosting their 10th annual ‘EggCessible Easter Egg Hunt’ for people with special needs and their families on Saturday, April 19.

The Easter event will have hunts throughout the day specially designed to be sensory friendly, wheelchair accessible, and catered to people with visual impairments.

“Children need to feel included and seen regardless of their circumstances,” said Amanda Bowden, children’s librarian at the Portneuf District Library. “This gives those children who may not be able to participate in a traditional Easter egg hunt with lots of candy, lots of chaos, the opportunity to participate in a community event that really just caters to their strengths and their abilities.”

The annual EggCessible Easter Egg Hunt is organized by the library in partnership with local business and disabilities organizations including A New Hope, Life Inc., Idaho Power, and Idaho Central Credit Union, among others.

The event is free, but tickets are required––tickets are available at Portneuf District Library.

The EggCessible Easter Egg Hunt will start at 11am at Stuart Park (across the street from the Portneuf District Library) in Chubbuck on Saturday, April 19.

Traffic Alert: South Capital Avenue detour for water tower project

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Seth Ratliff

The following is a press release from the City of Idaho Falls:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Contractors continue to make significant progress on the new Idaho Falls water tower, and work will soon begin to connect the tower to the water supply system.

Beginning Wednesday, April 16, JM Concrete will install the water main in South Capital Avenue. This will result in a detour of South Capital at Cliff Street and the west entrance of the Idaho Falls Public Library. It’s anticipated that the detour will last approximately four weeks. 

During the construction, drivers will need to seek alternative routes. However, access to the Idaho Falls Public Library and nearby Idaho Falls Power will remain open.

In the coming weeks, when construction progresses, water line work must also be completed in the Idaho Falls Power parking lot off South Capital. Temporary customer parking will be clearly signed in the already designated city-owned public parking in the adjacent Key Bank parking lot. 

Please reduce speeds, obey posted traffic control signage, and watch for construction crews throughout the work zone.

Scammers find new ways to take victims’ money

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Noah Farley

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Scammers are putting in more effort to take money away from people.

Some are doing phone scams where they impersonate Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office Deputies. These scams are similar to the ones where callers claim to be deputies and tell victims they are wanted for a missing court or jury hearing. 

This time, scammers are upping their game by sending the victims pictures of documents designed to look like Bench Warrants. These fake documents list charges and consequences the victims could face for missing these nonexistent hearings.

“The document also lists names of Seventh Judicial District Judges and Bonneville County Deputies, with obviously fake signatures,” says the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office. “Additionally, the document is made to appear real with case numbers, codes to state statute, and the address to the Bonneville County Courthouse.”

The BCSO reminds the public there is never a situation where law enforcement or court personnel will ask to take your money to address legal process or court action.

“Even if you had a warrant or owed fine money, those are things that the person needs to go and present themselves in person at the courthouse to deal with,” said Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office PIO, Sergeant Bryan Lovell.

You can find more information about these scams here.

Wyoming Department of Transportation announces brief traffic hold for bridge work

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Seth Ratliff

The following is a press release from the Wyoming Department of Transportation:

JACKSON, Wyoming (KIFI) – The Wyoming Department of Transportation will begin paving the new bridge deck on the Snake River Bridge on Wyoming State Highway 22, Tuesday, April 15. In order for a loader and concrete truck to access the area, crews will hold traffic at 10 a.m. for roughly 5-10 minutes near the bridge.

Crews are encouraging travelers to avoid the construction area during that time if possible, or expect delays around the morning hours and plan accordingly.  The brief closure should only last 5 to 10 minutes, but traffic could potentially see slower speeds following the closure.

Crews are continuing to work hard in order to hit the last major milestone in the project—pouring the other half of the new bridge deck—by the end of June. Crews will also be adding an epoxy overlay to the bridge, which will likely push the work past the completion date.

Unpredictable weather and other variables may necessitate last-minute changes to the plans. WYDOT remains committed to updating the public with timely information. For more information about the current work going on at the WYO 22/WYO 390 intersection and Snake River Bridge, visit https://wy22wilsonsrb.com.

The work is part of the Snake River Bridge and Intersection project, which was awarded in November of 2022. The work includes the replacement of the Snake River Bridge on WYO 22, the reconstruction of the intersection of WYO 22 and WYO 390, wildlife crossings and other work on approximately 1.80 miles of WYO 22 and WYO 390 in Teton County. The completion date for this project is June 30, 2025.

Last-minute taxes: What to do if you haven’t filed yet

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Maggie Moore

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Tuesday, April 15, marks the final day for Americans to file their taxes without an extension. If you’ve pushed taxes off to the last minute and feel like you’re scrambling, you still have time, but not much.

But, with many resources available, Idahoans who have put off filing should still be able to finalize their taxes before the cut-off.

Derek Barnes, a tax professional with Liberty Tax, says that if you can’t make the April 15th deadline, you should at least figure out if you’re going to owe money or get money back.

“If you do owe money, however, there are fees and penalties that will begin after the 15th of April,” said Barnes. “So, if you do believe you’re going to owe some money, I recommend making an estimated tax payment. As long as you paid as much taxes as you owed last year, you will not be subject to additional penalties for underestimated tax penalties.”

If you do owe money, tax experts say you can file an extension by tax day and make an estimated tax payment to avoid penalties.

Barnes says while it is possible to file last minute, the best way to prepare ahead of time is to meet with a tax professional at the end of the year.

“Filing close to the deadline just doesn’t give you much time to prepare for that tax payment,” said Barnes. “Come in January or February, or even do an end of the year… That way you can estimate what your income is going to be. It’s important to know where you’re at ahead of the time that you have to make that payment.”

If you’re worried about making that payment, Barnes says there are relief plans for both federal and state taxes.

“Both taxing agencies have relief and options for us as taxpayers because they want us to pay our tax,” said Barnes. “They understand that life gets crazy sometimes and our finances get really difficult. so we can actually do an income based payment plan as well… So there’s a lot of relief out there. The worst thing we can do is to ignore everything and not try to figure things out.”

Tax experts say that if you have a simple tax return, you’re probably ok to use a free online service like TurboTax. However, if you have a more complicated tax situation, for example, if you are self-employed or have kids, it might be a good option to meet with a tax professional to get the best return. 

Barnes tells Local News 8 that many accountants and tax professionals will make extra time for people who haven’t filed yet, especially on tax day. 

Multiple agencies combat Jefferson County wildland fire Thursday

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Seth Ratliff

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – A Wildland fire in Jefferson County caused quite the scene over the weekend. Fire crews responded to the fire shortly before 8 p.m. On Thursday.

Luckily, one side of the fire bordered an agricultural water canal, which helped slow it down, according to fire crews.

The Swan Valley Fire Department says they dug lines and were able to spray water to prevent the fire from moving further.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

New ruling broadens exceptions to Idaho’s abortion ban

KIFI on April 14, 2025

Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) – On Monday, an Idaho state court issued a ruling allowing more exceptions to the state’s total abortion ban.

Idaho’s current abortion law previously allowed for abortions only when necessary to prevent the death of the mother.

The ruling broadens the exception, allowing pregnant women to access abortion care if they have a health condition or pregnancy complication that would put the mother at risk of death.

The judge ruled that the exception should be interpreted broadly by doctors and could apply to numerous serious health conditions.

However, according to the ruling, pregnant women do not qualify for an exception if just the fetus is at risk. The court also ruled that people at risk of death from self-harm due to mental health conditions cannot access abortion care.

Today’s ruling comes after the court heard testimony from the four women who brought the case, all of whom were denied abortions despite doomed pregnancies due to lethal fetal diagnoses. They were forced to travel hundreds of miles out of state for care.

“Pregnant Idahoans whose health is in danger shouldn’t be forced to remain pregnant, and we are glad the court recognized that today. But this decision leaves behind so many people, including some of the women who brought this case. No one should have to choose between carrying a doomed pregnancy against their will or fleeing the state if they can,” said Gail Deady, Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “Medical exceptions do not make abortion bans acceptable. Too many are suffering in Idaho and across the country. We will not give up until everyone has the freedom to make their own pregnancy decisions.”